Why We Can’t Wait by Martin Luther King Jr. is a gripping account of the struggle that African Americans faced to achieve rights and desegregation in Birmingham, Alabama. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (S.C.L.C) along with the Fred Shuttlesworth’s Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (A.C.H.R.) fought for the rights of African Americans. Bull Connor, who was the Commissioner of Public Safety, did everything in his power to prevent the desegregation and equality of rights for African Americans. Martin Luther King Jr. and the S.C.L.C along with Fred Shuttlesworth and the A.C.H.R. worked with many agencies to help acquire desegregation for African Americans in Birmingham. The groups used nonviolent direct action to achieve
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had man strict tests before demonstrations could take place. Martin Luther King stated that, “Not all who volunteered could pass our strict tests for service as demonstrators. But there was much to be done, over and above the dramatic act of presenting one’s body in the marches (67).” When someone became a marching demonstrator they would have to take a pledge. Demonstrators had to pledge not to use violence against anyone, even if violent forces were used on them. When African Americans were marching in Birmingham for their rights it did not matter what social class one belonged to, how much education one had, or what age someone was, everyone worked together to gain equality. Dr. King stated that, “In Birmingham, outside of the few generals and lieutenants who necessarily directed and coordinated operations, the regiments of the demonstrators marched in democratic phalanx. Doctors marched with window cleaners. Lawyers demonstrated with laundresses. Ph.D.’s and no-D’s were treated with perfect equality by the registrars of the nonviolence movement (33).” African Americans of all walks of life joined in the movement.
Along with the demonstrators the groups did many demonstrations in order to gain integration in Birmingham. The demonstrations began with sit-ins at downtown lunch counters. Dr. King stated that, “We had decided to limit the first few days’ effort to sit-ins. Being prepared …show more content…
Many of the demonstrators were high school and college age students. These students left school and risked expulsion to help with the battle of integration. Dr. King stated that, “The children themselves had the answer to the misguided sympathies of the press. One of the most ringing replies came from a child of no more than eight who walked with her mother one day in a demonstration. An amused policeman leaned down to her and said with mock gruffness: ‘What do you want!’ The child looked into his eyes, unafraid, and gave her answer. ‘F’eedom,’ she said (115).” The children left school on May 2nd and lined up at Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, in observation of a Day now known as D-Day. As the children lined up in mass numbers, they were hauled off to jail when they tried to march toward the downtown businesses. Dr. King stated that, “At the height of the campaign, by conservative estimates, there were 2,500 demonstrators in jail at one time, a large proportion of them young people (117).” There were so many student marching and going to jail that the jails filled up soon because of the courageous young students.
The leaders of the S.C.L.C. and A.C.H.R. demonstrated by risking going to jail for the cause. Dr. King remember being put into a Birmingham, “For more than twenty-four hours I was held incommunicado, in solitary confinement. No one was permitted to visit me, not even my lawyers. Those were the longest most frustrating and bewildering
had man strict tests before demonstrations could take place. Martin Luther King stated that, “Not all who volunteered could pass our strict tests for service as demonstrators. But there was much to be done, over and above the dramatic act of presenting one’s body in the marches (67).” When someone became a marching demonstrator they would have to take a pledge. Demonstrators had to pledge not to use violence against anyone, even if violent forces were used on them. When African Americans were marching in Birmingham for their rights it did not matter what social class one belonged to, how much education one had, or what age someone was, everyone worked together to gain equality. Dr. King stated that, “In Birmingham, outside of the few generals and lieutenants who necessarily directed and coordinated operations, the regiments of the demonstrators marched in democratic phalanx. Doctors marched with window cleaners. Lawyers demonstrated with laundresses. Ph.D.’s and no-D’s were treated with perfect equality by the registrars of the nonviolence movement (33).” African Americans of all walks of life joined in the movement.
Along with the demonstrators the groups did many demonstrations in order to gain integration in Birmingham. The demonstrations began with sit-ins at downtown lunch counters. Dr. King stated that, “We had decided to limit the first few days’ effort to sit-ins. Being prepared …show more content…
Many of the demonstrators were high school and college age students. These students left school and risked expulsion to help with the battle of integration. Dr. King stated that, “The children themselves had the answer to the misguided sympathies of the press. One of the most ringing replies came from a child of no more than eight who walked with her mother one day in a demonstration. An amused policeman leaned down to her and said with mock gruffness: ‘What do you want!’ The child looked into his eyes, unafraid, and gave her answer. ‘F’eedom,’ she said (115).” The children left school on May 2nd and lined up at Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, in observation of a Day now known as D-Day. As the children lined up in mass numbers, they were hauled off to jail when they tried to march toward the downtown businesses. Dr. King stated that, “At the height of the campaign, by conservative estimates, there were 2,500 demonstrators in jail at one time, a large proportion of them young people (117).” There were so many student marching and going to jail that the jails filled up soon because of the courageous young students.
The leaders of the S.C.L.C. and A.C.H.R. demonstrated by risking going to jail for the cause. Dr. King remember being put into a Birmingham, “For more than twenty-four hours I was held incommunicado, in solitary confinement. No one was permitted to visit me, not even my lawyers. Those were the longest most frustrating and bewildering